Whos not been in yet ?

[Rock_Chick]

Due to work being a pain this year,I've not had time to get though my bees yet, all are flying and bringing in pollen, every time I am of work its raining or so cold,
I have some time coming up next week durning the day so hopefully it will be the week to open the bees.
Anyone else not been in yet ?

 

[Eyeman]

Hi
All have been checked with a look under the CB or through the feeder hole and hefted for stores. Planning on doing first inspection in the next couple of days.

 

[Hachi]

No not had chance with this weather ........

 

[Canary Honey]

Same here, weather has been too cold and especially by the time I get home, did my back in last Sunday so not been able to work ... or inspect! They seem happy enough, but could be up to anything in there. Certainly plenty of pollen going in as well as water.

 

[denise washington]

ive managed to do the poly nucs but cant do hives yet just had my pot off and my hand is weak cant lift lids off just yet hope its stronger for end of month

 

[idg]

Checked foundation but not been under crown board. I am itching to get a look inside but too cold. This week doesn't seem much better! I hope I am not too late.

 

[pargyle]

I haven't .. just looked through clear crown boards and hefted .. had a plan for tomorrow but looks like it will be another duff day weatherwise .. quite a few people still holding off I think ...

 

[dpearce4]

only done one site and that was done by the RBI to check me for EFB as the site had it last year. need to do other site next week. then weekly after that I'm thinking.

 

[Harley1]

I'm still waiting, too. Plenty of pollen going in but I'm longing to know what's going on in there.

 

[idg]

Checked foundation

Fondant that should be..

 

[For want of a better word]

Not my own!

Nos da

 

[rje66]

Not yet,just under roof to check fondant. Girls flying and bring in pollen

 

[YorkshireBees]

A lot of the decision about when and if to perform the 1st inspection will come down to knowledge!

Knowing your bees
Knowing your local forage
Knowing your local climate

and ofc a dose of luck (at least where the weather is concerned)!

I'm all for allowing the bees plenty of good weather at the start of the season to get a good buildup before I start disturbing them with inspections however when I find brace comb built into the takeaway container that held fondant then that is a clue that the colony is short of space! (**Container was inverted over feed hole**)

I have found (as per a local beefarmer that I know) that due to the mild winter (locally) quite a few colonies have built up really strong early.

So much so that I have the first super in place on most of my colonies.

As per posted in some other threads

Signs of a colony needing more space.

2nd frame in on a different colony

 

[Cazza]

I have two colonies that looked like Yorkshirebees pictures.
These have been supered but not yet inspected. The rest have mouse guards off and new floors but that's all. Not warm enough here t poke about but nothing to do anyway. I know they have laying queens and all is well without feeling the need to look.
Cazza

 

[chrismcd]

I have found (as per a local beefarmer that I know) that due to the mild winter (locally) quite a few colonies have built up really strong early.

So much so that I have the first super in place on most of my colonies.

Was surprised by how much some colonies are ahead. Two even had drones hatched out - I hope they know what they are doing!

Mind you had to unite two others since one had gone queenless and the other was struggling.

 

[REDWOOD]

I took the plunge today, full inspection and shakedown to check for any nasties, found one wax moth larvae that was brutishly murdered with my hive tool.
Surprised with one apiary, all hives were bouncing and some got supered

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Into 3/5 so far. One looked weak: checked all OK, and another "fell" over and I wanted to check all OK a week later. The third I transferred by 2-story nuc into a BB. Now BY FAR my strongest colony and I nadired a second brood box.

 

[corhob]

Not Yet just had look under the roof and have been watching the Lady's bring pollen back, it looking like Wednesday will be the best day to have a look so I will have to have a day off work that's ,if the weather forecast is correct

 

[GlenJ]

I haven't looked inside yet, spent ages watching them so I know there is life and brood, but with the slow build up of temperature and forage so far, I'm not worried about disturbing them. Local bees coping with the local climate. (Cold and damp).

 

[MartinL]

Went round all 4 couple of weeks ago with fondant.

With only 1 exception they were not happy with my being there, running & flying up as soon as the crown board was lifted.

Although, understandably pissed off at the first interference since Winter they were a little more wild than I'd expected. So went back around & cracked all the joints on all the hives. Hope this will make it a little bit less of a shock for them when I finally do inspect.